This application claims priority to prior application JP 2002-51894, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a connector having an insulator and conductive contacts mounted therein and, in particular, relates to a connector that is usable upon, for example, mutually connecting two circuit boards disposed in parallel.
The insulator in this type of the connector is in the form of a plate-like member having first and second surfaces confronting each other in a first direction. The first and second surfaces are normally designed to be parallel to each other. The insulator is formed with spaces each extending between the first and second surfaces. The conductive contacts are mounted in these spaces, respectively.
In general, each contact is unitarily formed from an elastic conductive plate member by applying thereto cutting and bending processes and so forth. In the state of being mounted in the insulator, each contact has one end projected from the first surface of the insulator as a terminal portion, and the other end projected from the second surface of the insulator as a contact portion.
The connector is placed on a mount side board in the form of a circuit board with the first surface thereof confronting the mount side board, then the terminal portions of the contacts are connected to the mount side board by, for example, soldering. A connection object board in the form of another circuit board is arranged so as to confront the second surface of the connector, then is pushed toward the second surface In this manner, the contact portions of the contacts are brought into contact with the connection object board. Consequently, an electric circuit of he connection object board is connected to an electric circuit of the mount side board via the contacts.
When the connection object board is pushed toward the second surface of the insulator, the contact portion are pressed by the connection object board so that the contacts are urged. A restoring force of each contact generated in this event is transmitted not only to the contact portion but also to the terminal portion. Thus, it is possible that stress is exerted on a connecting structure, obtained by soldering or the like, between the terminal portion of the contact and the mount side board. Further, when the contact portion is pushed in a direction inclined relative to the first direction, it is possible that the contact deforms excessively in a second direction crossing the first direction, thereby to induce plastic deformation in the worst case.
It is therefore an object of he present invention to provide a connector that can prevent as much as possible a force applied to a contact portion of a contact from being transmitted to terminal portion thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a connector that can prevent excessive deformation of a contact due to a force applied to a contact portion of the contact.
Other objects of the preset invention will become clear as the description proceeds.
According to one aspect o the present invention, there is provided a connector which comprises a plate-like insulator having a first and a second surface which confront each other in a first direction, and defining a space extending between the first and the second surfaces, the insulator including a wall portion dividing the space into a first space and a second space in a second direction crossing the first direction, and a conductive contact placed in the space and held by the insulator The contact includes a retained portion retained in the first space utilizing the wall portion and a spring portion extending from the retained portion, passing on the side of the first surface to bypass the wall portion and entering the second space. The spring portion includes a stopper portion approaching to confront the wall portion and a contact portion protruding from the second surface to the exterior of the insulator.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is obtained a connector which comprises a plate-like insulator having a first and a second surface which confront each other n a first direction, and defining a plurality of spaces each extending between the first and the second surfaces, the insulator including a plurality of wall portions each dividing each of the spaces into a first space and a second space in a second direction crossing the first direction, the spaces being arranged in a third direction perpendicular to the first and the second directions, and a plurality o conductive contacts placed in the spaces, respectively, and held by the insulator. Each of the contacts includes a retained portion that is retained in the first space utilizing the wall portion and a spring portion extending from the retained portion, passing on the side of the first surface to bypass the wall portion and entering the second space. The spring portion includes a stopper portion approaching to confront the wall portion and a contact portion protruding from the second surface to the exterior of the insulator.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is obtained a connector comprising a contact and an insulator firmly retaining the contact, wherein the contact comprises a first U-shaped portion, a second U-shaped portion, and a third U-shaped portion, the insulator has an insert portion into which the first U-shaped portion is inserted, the first U-shaped portion and the second U-shaped portion being provided inversely from each other so as to form substantially an S shape, the third U-shaped portion extending from the second U-shaped portion to have a contact portion near an apex portion thereof for connection to a connection object, the first U-shaped portion having one end side firmly retained in the insert portion and the other end side contacting a first side of a wall portion of the insert portion, upon connection to the connection object, one end side of the second U-shaped portion, remote from the first U-shaped portion, being prevented from contacting a second side of the wall portion opposite to the first side, while upon connection to the connection object slantly relative to a connecting direction, the one end side of the second U-shaped portion contacts the second side of the wall portion, thereby to prevent an excessive displacement of the contact.